Do you have to maintain records of foster or adoptive home applicants who drop out before the completion of a home screening?

• A. Yes
• B. No
• C. Only if they provided information
• D. Only if they had prior history

Answer: (B)

The main idea here is that recordkeeping is tied to the screening that actually takes place and reaches a formal decision. If an applicant drops out before the home screening is completed, there isn’t a general obligation to maintain a full, completed home-study file for that person. You’d typically close the file with a brief record of the withdrawal and move on, unless there’s a specific legal retention requirement that would mandate keeping certain information. Keeping a minimal note preserves confidentiality and avoids unnecessary retention, and if the applicant later reapplies, they would start fresh as a new process.